Winter takes a toll on your skin — that much is obvious. Less apparent is its impact on your hands, specifically, and why the colder months have coincided with the skin around your fingers and palms starting to peel.

If you’ve found zero relief from slipping your hands into a pair of fleece-lined gloves and bathing them in your cushiest hand creams, it might be time to evaluate what else may be contributing to their current uncomfortable state. You may be surprised to find that it can be caused by habits you’ve picked up throughout the season or an underlying skin condition.